Faculty

In creating our studio, we had a common goal. Our aim was to provide for young dancers an atmosphere in which talent could be nurtured and developed and interest and love for dance broadened and respected. These aims have remained central to us throughout our history and as they have expanded and grown, so has Le Danse's educational base widened.

Le Danse is a community of dancers who have not only the benefits of training with our amazing faculty of professional instructors, choreographers and performers, but also the sharing of artistic experience as well, in venues like regional and national competitions, year end performances and master classes and workshops. We emphasize our students working together in performing groups, both large and small ensembles and continue to combine the determination to continue to move forward while holding fast to earlier wisdom. The studio reflects the change of environment of the professional arts by emphasizing the broadest possible artistic content for the young, while fostering interaction among students and teachers and offering professional training & education unique in both time and place.

We, the directors of Le Danse, are proud of our outstanding studio, staff, and well-trained students. We are proud of the many accomplishments, awards and accolades that we have all received over the years and hope to continue to guide our studio gracefully.

Gianna Raimo

Gianna has been dancing since two and a half and has won numerous high gold, platinum, and overall high score awards competing with the studio. Gianna was second runner up Miss Showbiz and National Dance Week's Most Promising Performer at both Showbiz National Dance Competition and New York Dance America/Olympus. Gianna has also trained in New York City at Broadway Dance Center and Steps NYC. Most recently, Gianna has been accepted and attended the Rockette Summer Intensive and Joffrey Ballet for the past three years, along with being a published poet. Gianna is very excited to now be apart of the teaching staff at Le Danse and is looking forward to sharing this knowledge with her students.

Allie DeSimone

Allie is delighted to be teaching at Le Danse this year! Allie has been dancing at LeDanse since 2006 and has been on the competition team for the last 9 years. She is currently
finished her junior year at Wayne Valley High School, where she competes on the Wayne Valley Dance Team and has been on the SDA Jazz squad for three years, Tap team for two years and Pom squad for one year.
When Allie is not dancing you can either find her at Starbuck’s or working on her homework. Allie is looking forward to graduating next year and pursuing a career in Law.
Thanks to everyone at Le Danse for making dancing and teaching at Le Danse such an awesome experience!

Krystal Gambino

Krystal Gambino has been dancing since the age of 2. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop, theatrical and acrobatic dance. Aside from studio classes, Krystal performed and competed nationally with her high school and college dance teams, serving as captain for two years on each. She also worked as Assistant Choreographer for a local theater company and started performing there herself when she was 10 years old. She has taught children of all ages, ranging from 2 years old to 18 years of age.

Krystal received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology at Manhattanville College, and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Seton Hall University. She hopes to use her dance background in conjunction with treating patients once she is a licensed Physical Therapist.

Along with her dance training, Krystal is a trained gymnast. She is currently certified with USA Gymnastics and has coached gymnastics classes and teams of all ages. Krystal hopes to spread her love and passion of dance through everyone she is privileged to teach. Her mission is to help children reach their goals and dreams just as her early instructors enabled her to do.

John Pickup

Mr. Pickup received his early training from Leeanne Rutherford at Ballet Theatre Australia and later with Peter Shortland and Kathryn Hailey at The Studio. As a dancer he performed with The Wiggles, Lithuanian National Ballet, AURA Dance Company, Gelsey Kirkland Studio Company and Untitled Collective NYC. Mr. Pickup began teaching at Essendon Academy of Ballet, Melbourne Australia before teaching at various schools throughout Sydney and Melbourne. During this time he studied the RAD syllabus under Kathryn Hailey.

After relocating to New York, he began training under Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov as both a dancer and teacher. Mr. Pickup is currently a faculty member in the GKA Pre-Professional Division/ Children's Division and Full Day Professional Training Program.

Mr. Pickup is thrilled to be sharing his love of classical ballet with students of Le Danse. John Pickup appears courtesy of the Gelsey Kirkland Ballet..

Cindy Reid

Cindy Reid grew up in Oak Creek, WI dancing at Young Dance Academy under the direction of Sandy Young and Lisa Opansky-Price. At eighteen she moved to New York City to attend Marymount Manhattan College with dance, academic, and leadership scholarships. While there, Cindy performed works by renowned choreographers such Dwight Rhoden, Ray Mercer, Lorna Ventura, and Sonya Teyah to name a few. In 2010, she had the opportunity to tour in China with the Nikolai Dance Theater performing works choreographed by the late modern dance pioneer, Alwin Nikolais. The following year Cindy graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Dance and minor in Business Management from Marymount Manhattan College.

Since graduating, Cindy has worked as a company member in "Tapperlesque", an all female tap group. She was the assistant choreographer for the show "Hell is For Real" written by Gary Apple which premiered in the New York International Fringe Festival. You can spot her in the new music video "Blues Hand Me Down" for the popular London based band, Vintage Trouble. Currently, she is working on an off-broadway showcase of and will be dancing with the Loft Opera in July.

Teaching has always been a special passion of Cindy's. She loves the time she gets to spend in the studio each week with the students of Le Danse!